ROCKIN’ IN THE USA-HOT 100 HITS OF THE 80S.

As 1979 gave way to 1980, critics and cultural commentators wondered whether the golden era that began when The Beatles released Love Me Do in 1962 was about to continue?

Record buyers had been spoiled by some of the biggest bands from Britain and America releasing groundbreaking and classic albums for the past eighteen years. However, already things were starting to change in the land of the free.

AM radio which had provided the soundtrack to the sixties and seventies, was replaced by crystal clear sound of FM. Suddenly, AM was home to sports radio and loudmouthed shock jocks. However, one thing stayed the same, the popularity of vinyl.

No other format came had close to rivalling vinyl which was popular DJs and record buyers preferred. Executives at the major record labels thought that vinyl’s popularity would continue to grow, and never thought that the bubble would burst,

That was apart from those involved in developing the compact disc which was still in the experimental stage. That would change by the mid-eighties when the compact disc began to revolutionise music.

With the of offer perfect sound quality, the compact disc was seen as preferable to vinyl, which was an imperfect medium. Over the next few years, many recorded buyers sold massive vinyl collections and made the switch to compact disc.

Supply of vinyl albums outstripped demand, and the prices dropped. Some record collectors took what they could get, while a few gave their once prized collections of vinyl to charity shops or sold them for giveaway prices at car boot sales. After all, with the introduction of the compact disc nobody would want vinyl anymore.

Meanwhile, many critics, cultural commentators and record buyers regarded as the third consecutive golden era for music. This golden era is celebrated on Ace Records new compilation Rockin’ In The USA-Hot 100 Hits Of The 80s. If features twenty-three tracks from The Romantics, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis and The News, Marshall Crenshaw, Paul Carrack, Amy Holland, Rick Springfield, Hall and Oates, Mr Mister, The Cars, and Ronnie Milsap They;re just a few o the names on Rockin’ In The USA-Hot 100 Hits Of The 80s, which is a studded collection.

Detroit-based garage band The Romantics open Rockin’ In The USA-Hot 100 Hits Of The 80s with the melodic rocker What I Like About You. It was released on Nemperor in 1980 and reached forty-nine in the US Billboard 100.

Cyndi Lauper released the ballad Time After Tine on Portrait in 1984, Soon, the New Yorjer was the first number one single of her career in America.

The anthemic single Your Love was released by the London-based power trio The Outfield on Columbia in 1986. They became the latest British band to enjoy more success in American than Britain when Your Love reached number six in the US Billboard 100. This was the first of six singles The Outfield enjoyed in Britain.

Someday, Someway was written by Marshall Crenshaw and released as the lead single from his eponymous debut album. It was released on Warner Bros in 1982. The highlight of the album was the perfect pop Someday, Someway which reached thirty-six in the US Billboard 100.

In late 1980, Pat Benatar released Hit Me With Your Best Shot on Chrysalis. This sassy rocker reached number nine on the US Billboard 100 and was a tantalising taste of what was to cone from Pat Benatar,

British singer-songwriter Paul Carrack was signed to Epic when he released I Need You un 1982. This soulful ballad was taken from the album Suburban Voodoo and released twenty-seven on the US Billboard 100.

American rocker Rick Springfield was signed RCA Victor when he released I’ve Done Everything For You in 1981. This melodic and memorable cover of this Sammy Hagar song reached number eight on the US Billboard 100.

Hooks haven’t been spared on Breaking Away Balance’s 1981 single which was released on Portrait. It’s another slice of perfect pop that reached twenty-two on the US Billboard 100.

By 1983, Hall and Oates were signed to RCA Victor and were at the peak of their popularity when they released the hurt-filled single Say It Isn’t So. It reached two on the US Billboard 100 and was one of their biggest singles.

Several of singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff songs were covered by Linda Ronstadt. However, in 1982 Karla Bonoff released the beautiful ballad Personality. It reached nineteen on the US Billboard 100 and is a reminder of a truly talented singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff.

The Cars released You Might Think I’m Crazy on Electra in 1984 while their album Heartbeat City was being mixed. You Might Think I’m Crazy with its mixture of new wave and rock proved popular reaching number seven on the US Billboard 100.

Country singer Ronnie Milsap released (There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me on RCA Victor in 1981. This beautiful country ballad crossed over and reached number five on the US Billboard 100.

Deborah Allen of The Bangles released her solo single Baby I Lied on RCA Victor in 1983. It was billed as a country single but was more like power pop meets pop rock. At the heart of Baby I Lied’s sound and success was Deborah Allen accusing, angry and frustrated vocal. Despite the quality of Baby I Lied, it staked at twenty-six on the US Billboard 100.

ROCK In The USA (A Salute To 60s Rock) by John Cougar Mellencamp closes Rockin’ In The USA-Hot 100 Hits Of The 80s. This tribute to the sixties garage sound reached number two on the US Billboard 100 in 1986.

The twenty-three tracks on Rockin’ In The USA-Hot 100 Hits Of The 80s, which has just been released by Ace Records is a reminder of the quality if music that was released during the eighties.